Syme Surname

76,382nd
Most Common
surname in the World

Approximately 6,417 people bear this surname

Most prevalent in:
United States
Highest density in:
Cook Islands

Syme Surname Definition:

Diminutives of Symon, Simeon, which see. In Symmie and his bruder, a satire in the vein of Peblis to the play, we have mention of "Bayth Sym and his bruder," and "Nowthir Syme nor his bruder." 11. 10, 20.

Sim is not always representative of Clan Moc-Shimidh as some think-it is a common English name as well.

Read More About This Surname

Syme Surname Distribution Map

PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States1,4211:255,07324,180
Australia1,4141:19,0922,642
Scotland1,2381:4,325749
England5941:93,80110,041
New Zealand5281:8,5761,480
Ghana4851:55,7135,980
Canada4811:76,6028,623
South Africa1031:525,99742,056
Wales261:119,0209,008
Ireland161:294,30910,207
Zimbabwe131:1,187,55768,998
Germany121:6,708,788223,026
Thailand101:7,063,834426,148
Cook Islands91:2,020519
Indonesia91:14,694,355460,137
Belize71:50,7822,565
Argentina71:6,106,202178,634
Isle of Man71:12,2602,387
Kuwait41:950,17418,811
Papua New Guinea31:2,717,906153,458
Norway21:2,571,14395,402
Northern Ireland21:922,51818,701
Netherlands21:8,443,588136,641
Malaysia21:14,747,112316,340
India21:383,532,6911,645,216
France21:33,211,361423,184
Switzerland11:8,212,915156,297
Bahamas11:391,7512,737
Brazil11:214,074,3321,693,628
Brunei11:418,7313,893
Cameroon11:20,769,068227,406
China11:1,367,321,56651,149
Cyprus11:884,87613,055
Czechia11:10,633,469206,023
United Arab Emirates11:9,162,273135,437
Estonia11:1,321,80440,178
Mexico11:124,126,205103,776
Sweden11:9,846,757347,448
Greece11:11,079,790145,225
Haiti11:10,683,90724,607
Panama11:3,912,25817,195
Nigeria11:177,142,758748,972
Ivory Coast11:23,071,23276,679
Namibia11:2,409,40119,676
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Ireland241:184,5789,087
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Scotland1,0211:3,666603
England1101:221,59416,923
Jersey11:51,8823,898
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States1591:315,84124,783

The alternate forms: Symé (1) are calculated separately.

Syme (293) may also be a first name.

Syme Surname Meaning

From Where Does The Surname Originate? meaning and history

Diminutives of Symon, Simeon, which see. In Symmie and his bruder, a satire in the vein of Peblis to the play, we have mention of "Bayth Sym and his bruder," and "Nowthir Syme nor his bruder." 11. 10, 20.

Sim is not always representative of Clan Moc-Shimidh as some think-it is a common English name as well. Sym Clerk witnessed an instrument of resignation in 1446 (REB., I, 109), John Sym de Banchry is recorded in 1503 (Cambus., p. 64), Andrew Sym was vicar of Cumry (Comrie) in 1530 (ibid., p. 182), and William Sym witnessed a precept of clare constat of 1548 (RD., p. 396). William Sym in Nether Possill is recorded in 1596 (Retours, Lanark, 9), Henry Sim was constable in the parish of Auchtermuchtie in 1633 (RPC., 2. ser. V, p. 94), John Syme ("Stamp-Office Johnnie") was a friend of Robert Burns, and James Syme (1799-1870), the eminent surgeon, was born in Fife. As iorename: Sym Carmichall, 1576 (Trials, I, p. 48). Cim 1562.

The Surnames of Scotland (1946) by George Fraser Black (1866-1948)

= Sime, q.v.

Surnames of the United Kingdom (1912) by Henry Harrison

A nickname of Simon, whence Symes.

Patronymica Britannica (1860) by Mark Antony Lower

Vide, Syme.

The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames (1862) by Clifford Stanley Sims (1839-1896)

The son of Symon, or Simon. The Gaelic words sema and syma, signify a peacemaker. The word syme or sime, in old Norman French, signifies sixth. The first of the name found on record is Syme of Spalding, also called Peter Spalding, who married a cousin of the Earl of Dunbar, and was a Burgess and also Governor of Berwick, which town he delivered by stratagem from the English to the Scotch in 1318.

The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames (1862) by Clifford Stanley Sims (1839-1896)

In 1221 Philip Augustus granted lands at Heudboville, Normandy, to Richard Syme (Mem. Soc. Ant. Norm. v. 159); Adam Symie, Engl. t. John (Hardy, Rot. de Libert.)

The Norman People (1874)

From the Dutch, Seijm; a personal name.

British Family Names: Their Origin and Meaning (1903) by Henry Barber

Syme Last Name Facts

Where Does The Last Name Syme Come From? nationality or country of origin

The surname Syme is most common in The United States. It can also be rendered in the variant forms: Symé. For other possible spellings of this surname click here.

How Common Is The Last Name Syme? popularity and diffusion

The last name is the 76,382nd most frequently occurring family name in the world. It is borne by around 1 in 1,135,662 people. The surname occurs predominantly in Oceania, where 30 percent of Syme reside; 30 percent reside in Australasia and 30 percent reside in Australia and New Zealand. It is also the 515,650th most prevalent first name at a global level. It is borne by 293 people.

Syme is most frequently held in The United States, where it is carried by 1,421 people, or 1 in 255,073. In The United States it is primarily found in: Utah, where 15 percent reside, California, where 8 percent reside and Florida, where 6 percent reside. Apart from The United States Syme exists in 43 countries. It is also common in Australia, where 22 percent reside and Scotland, where 19 percent reside.

Syme Family Population Trend historical fluctuation

The occurrence of Syme has changed through the years. In The United States the number of people carrying the Syme last name expanded 894 percent between 1880 and 2014; in Scotland it expanded 121 percent between 1881 and 2014; in England it expanded 540 percent between 1881 and 2014 and in Ireland it fell 33 percent between 1901 and 2014.

Syme Last Name Statistics demography

The religious adherence of those bearing the last name is predominantly Presbyterian (58%) in Ireland.

In The United States those holding the Syme surname are 14.51% more likely to be registered with the Republican Party than The US average, with 61.28% being registered with the party.

The amount Syme earn in different countries varies significantly. In South Africa they earn 19.26% less than the national average, earning R 191,868 per year; in United States they earn 12.82% more than the national average, earning $48,682 USD per year and in Canada they earn 1.61% more than the national average, earning $50,481 CAD per year.

Phonetically Similar Names

SurnameSimilarityWorldwide IncidencePrevalency
Symé921/
Symes8910,421/
Symer89167/
Sayme8972/
Soyme8927/
Shyme897/
Seyme894/
Symee894/
Symez892/
Symed891/
Symeu891/
Symie891/
Sysme891/
Syome891/
Suyme891/
Sym8689,473/
Symmes80954/
Saymeh80910/
Seymer80256/
Saymez80105/
Soymer8091/
Symets8069/
Symmer8035/
Symeoy8027/
Saymer808/
Saymee805/
Shymer805/
Soymee804/
Soymie803/
Szymer802/
Saymie802/
Symmet802/
Shayme801/
Saymet801/
Szymes801/
Syomei801/
Shymes801/
Seyhme801/
Seymea801/
Symest800/
Seymeh800/
Sime7541,403/
Seme7528,664/
Syma751,650/
Saym75410/
Seym75357/
Symm75284/
Shym7529/
Suym756/
Cyme755/
Sème755/
Syom754/
Szym753/
Hsym752/
Zyme752/
Symi752/
Soym751/
Séme751/
Scym751/
Symh751/
Syhm751/
Shaymer733/
Shaymee732/
Shoymer731/
Seymoey731/
Suymets731/
Sheymer731/
Souymey731/
Sayma6711,160/
Simes672,852/
Simeu672,748/
Simie672,168/
Semet671,792/
Simer671,595/
Scime671,469/
Sheme671,305/
Sesme671,166/
Semey67974/
Simet67958/
Semer67898/
Saime67799/
Szyma67729/
Simei67718/
Simea67625/
Shyma67612/
Shime67594/
Seeme67573/
Semei67508/
Semes67495/
Seime67432/
Simme67330/
Seume67313/
Shaym67283/
Semme67260/
Soyma67258/
Simey67215/
Sieme67181/
Cymes67137/
Semeh67134/
Seame67124/
Cymet67109/
Semea6794/
Saymi6791/
Semeu6789/
Semez6784/
Suyma6780/
Semeš6777/
Semie6768/
Semeș6764/
Cesme6759/
Simez6756/
Seyma6744/
Symma6734/
Sisme6732/
Simeh6730/
Simee6727/
Soime6726/
Symai6726/
Symaj6722/
Semee6715/
Seymi6715/
Semed6714/
Cisme6712/
Simed6711/
Simge6711/
Sahym6711/
Szime6711/
Sheym679/
Symis679/
Suime678/
Sémer678/
Symoi678/
Shyom676/
Sitme675/
Simje675/
Simõe674/
Símer674/
Shy'm674/
Sohym674/
Simée673/
Shymi673/
Semep673/
Saymy673/
Szymd672/
Symio672/
Sseme672/
Szymt672/
Saysm672/
Syhmi672/
Jsime671/
Cysme671/
Schoymer671/
Schymeer671/
Shymm671/
Suymh671/
Soysm671/
Sehym671/
Chyme671/
Sihme671/
Símie671/
Sehme671/
Zayme671/
Zymei671/
Siaym671/
Sceme671/
Saymé671/
Semge671/
Semhe671/
Sysmä671/
Cymea671/
Soymm671/
Símme671/
Cymie671/
Soymi671/
Symha671/
Cymei671/
Scysm670/

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Syme Reference & Research

Symes FamilyTree DNA Project - A description of a group researching the paternal lines of men who bear the surname with the help of DNA analysis.

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Footnotes

  • Surnames are taken as the first part of an person's inherited family name, caste, clan name or in some cases patronymic
  • Descriptions may contain details on the name's etymology, origin, ethnicity and history. They are largely reproduced from 3rd party sources; diligence is advised on accepting their validity - more information
  • Name distribution statistics are generated from a global database of over 4 billion people - more information
  • Heatmap: Dark red means there is a higher occurrence of the name, transitioning to light yellow signifies a progressively lower occurrence. Clicking on selected countries will show mapping at a regional level
  • Rank: Name are ranked by incidence using the ordinal ranking method; the name that occurs the most is assigned a rank of 1; name that occur less frequently receive an incremented rank; if two or more name occur the same number of times they are assigned the same rank and successive rank is incremented by the total preceeding names
  • Ethnic group cannot necessarily be determined by geographic occurrence
  • Similar: Names listed in the "Similar" section are phonetically similar and may not have any relation to Syme
  • To find out more about this surname's family history, lookup records on Family​Search, My​Heritage, FindMyPast and Ancestry. Further information may be obtained by DNA analysis